How Travel Keeps You Young At Heart
As we grow older, the way we travel changes. We may no longer rush off at the drop of a hat to climb a mountain or go trekking in the jungle – although some still do. But we still love travel as much as always, and we still enjoy adventure. It’s just that, as a concession to our age and energy levels, we do it at a slower pace.
Even as we age, travel has the power to keep us young at heart. It enables us to find fun in little things, and to see something of the magic in the world. Here are a few ways how.
Live for the moment
Planning a holiday and deciding what you want to see is a lot of fun. It’s an essential part of the travel experience. But it’s also great to do things on the spur of the moment. Let the trip unfold in ways you didn’t expect. It’s exciting to go to places you hadn’t heard of before arriving in the country.
One of my best memories of a recent visit to Tokyo was an unplanned visit to teamLab Borderless, an extensive digital art show of lights, shapes and colours that makes you feel as if you’re inside a computer game. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
Rediscover places
Even if you’ve visited a place before, there’ll also be something different to delight you. I’ve been to Delhi several times but hadn’t heard of the Agrasen ki Baoli in the heart of the city until a friend recently posted a photo of it on Facebook.
It’s a centuries-old well near Connaught Place, reached via a steep set of steps leading down between multi-arched walls. Now that I’ve heard about it, I want to return to Delhi and see it.
Be adventurous
Knowing your limits doesn’t stop you doing challenging things when you travel. You can still climb along the Great Wall of China. You can ride sledges down sand dunes in Vietnam. You can go on hot air balloon rides over the ancient temples in Bagan, Myanmar.
You can do bamboo rafting on the rivers around Guilin. You can climb to the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan, or Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, even if you do it at a slower pace. Without overdoing it, you can still find lots of adventure.
Eat local
Many of us like to start the day with a big breakfast in our hotel coffee shop. It sets us up for the day. But don’t let that stop you trying new things. If there’s a selection of tropical fruit on offer, try one or two that you haven’t tasted before. You may be surprised at how delicious they are.
Don’t hesitate to try the local food wherever you are. Momo in Nepal or Bhutan, string hoppers in Sri Lanka, nasi lemak in Malaysia, chicken adobo in the Philippines, pho in Vietnam. These dishes are popular because local people love them. And you might too.
If you’re adventurous, you may even want to try the fried tarantulas in Cambodia or the various fried insects in Thailand. Or you may want to give them a miss. If you do try them, you’ll have a good story to take back home.
Go walking
For older travellers, going walking is an ideal way of exploring a new city. It’s great exercise. It doesn’t feel like a workout. And before you know it, you’ll probably have walked much further than you expected.
Many Asian cities have wonderful parks. Explore them and enjoy the greenery. If there’s an attraction not too far from your hotel, walk there rather than taking transport. Lots of Asian cities are built along rivers. Go strolling along the banks, taking in the sights on both sides. If there are tall temples, and you’re feeling energetic, climb the steps to the top. But be careful climbing down; some of those steps can be steep!
And if you get lost, it doesn’t matter. You can always take a taxi back to your hotel.
The little things
Ever noticed how even the little things are fascinating when you travel? Especially the things that don’t get mentioned in guidebooks. Take a look at the flowers growing beside the path. Or the graffiti on the walls, or the way the road signs differ from those at home. The smell of damp earth after tropical rain. The way palm fronds swing about in the rain and wind.
Appreciate the animals that you meet on your travels. Keep a watch out for local insects too. That little bug you spot getting on with its life may be quite different from the ones at home. One of my favourite memories of Siem Reap in Cambodia is sitting on my hotel balcony in the evening and watching dragonflies dart about busily as I enjoyed a beer.
Recapture the mystery
The world was a big, mysterious place when you were a child. Travelling lets you recapture that sense of mystery.
If you wake before dawn in your hotel room somewhere in Asia to the sound of birds singing, it’s relaxing to lie in and listen to them. See if you can identify any of them from their songs. If you can’t, try to imagine what they might look like. It’s a fun way to start the day.
The evening chorus of insects is mysterious and memorable too, especially if you’re in the tropics: the way the sound pulsates, rising and falling.
Make new friends
Most important of all, you’ll make new friends. Both among the local people and among the people you travel with. And in Asia, where silver-haired visitors are generally treated with respect, you’ll find no shortage of local people happy to meet you and talk to you. In the process, you’ll learn something about their lives, which helps add some context to your own life.
Learning a few phrases of the local language goes a long way toward breaking down barriers and causing smiles. You don’t have to try to be proficient. Just being able to say “Good morning” or “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” is a real ice-breaker.
All in all, a holiday well spent will help you feel more refreshed in mind, and, yes, younger at heart. It’s what good travel is all about.
Header image: © Robert Kneschke
